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STORY LAB

A Six-Week Story Development Workshop

Ask any literary agent or editor: the most common problem with debut manuscripts isn’t the quality of the writing or the voice—it’s often the lack of a coherent, dynamic story from beginning to end.

That’s the difference between a manuscript that gets a polite pass and one that keeps a reader up past midnight. And this problem is exactly what Story Lab is built to fix.

Story Lab is a six-week story development workshop for writers who have finished a first draft of a novel or memoir and are serious about making it the story it deserves to be. Through focused lessons on structure and the essential elements of storytelling, you’ll receive honest feedback, real support, and a clear, actionable revision path.

Agents, publishers, and readers are eager to find new talent. But talent alone doesn’t sell books. Every reader wants to feel they’re in the hands of a confident writer who skillfully delivers on the promise of their premise without missing a beat.

Story Lab is how your manuscript becomes the story readers can’t put down.

Story Lab

Register Now for January 2027

Your first draft is done. Now let’s turn it into a story readers can’t put down. Secure your spot in our six-week Story Lab. Register now. Questions? Email bookinc@projectwritenow.org.

Combine & Save

Pair Story Lab with Book Revision Lab in The Full Revision Path, a connected journey from structural diagnosis to chapter-by-chapter execution, guided by two distinct rounds of expert feedback. Questions? Email bookinc@projectwritenow.org.

How Story Lab Works

PART I: Story-Proof Your Manuscript (Six Weekly Sessions)
Meeting weekly over six sessions, we’ll build a working command of the essential storytelling elements and analyze exactly where your story is structurally strong and where key components are missing. You’ll learn to see your manuscript through a reader’s eyes, with one goal: not just meeting the reader’s expectations, but exceeding them.

Along the way, you’ll complete a series of exercises that break down each storytelling component and reveal how your manuscript measures up.

Common story issues include:

  • Genre confusion
  • Absence of thematic premise
  • Weak character arcs
  • A complicated or confusing plot
  • Lack of central dilemma, conflict, stakes
  • Inconsistent tone, style, pacing

By the end of Part I, your manuscript will be story-proofed, and you’ll have a revision outline built around your specific goals.

PART II: One-on-One Story Evaluation
Once your outline is complete, it’s ready for a professional story evaluation. You’ll schedule a 30-minute Zoom consultation and receive a detailed story analysis report. The goal is to send you into the next round of revisions with clarity and a solid plan.

Are You a Good Fit for Story Lab? 

To participate in the Story Lab, you should:

  • Have a completed (or near-complete) memoir, novel, or screenplay.
  • Be ready to look at your story through the eyes of an eager reader.
  • Be open and interested in receiving honest feedback and structural guidance.
  • Be committed to making deep edits that help your story reach its potential.
    Be prepared to make your story the one the reader/agent/publisher can’t put down.

PROGRAM DETAILS

Cost: $400

You can pay tuition in full or in increments, according to our payment schedule. Proceeds help support PWN’s community outreach programs. Partial and full scholarship seats are available. Email bookinc@projectwritenow.org for more information.

Schedule

Story Lab meets on Thursdays for six weeks from 7 to 9 p.m. ET / 4 to 6 p.m. PT on the following dates:

    1. January 21
    2. January 28
    3. February 4
    4. February 11
    5. February 18
    6. February 25

Meet Your Lab Coach: Lizzie Finn

Lizzie Finn

A New Jersey native, Lizzie Finn is a writer, story analyst, and writing instructor who
launched her creative career in the East Coast independent film scene, with credits
including Kevin Smith’s View Askew Productions and Discovery’s Emmy-winning series Greatest Inventions with Bill Nye.

After years of analyzing hundreds of screenplays, novels, and memoirs, Lizzie
developed an intuitive ability to solve almost any story problem. In 2024, she launched
Story Nerd HQ, where she works one-on-one with screenwriters, novelists, and
memoirists to crack three essential codes: story structure, character development, and
emotional architecture. For more information, visit Lizzie Finn Writes.

Register Now for January 2027

Your first draft is done. Now let’s turn it into a story readers can’t put down. Secure your spot in our six-week Story Lab. Register now. Questions? Email bookinc@projectwritenow.org.